Live round stuck in my AK47...

I just bought a WAS-10/63 a week ago. I bought some cartridges tonight to hopefully shoot this weekend, and figured I'd load up a mag and chamber one and eject it to make sure everything works. Well apparently it doesn't. The round is chambered, but I can't pull the bolt back to eject the round. It won't budge. So now what do I do? Is it dumb to try to take it apart? I guess maybe I should have given it the scrub down to get all of the cosmoline off before I tried this. If it matters, the ammo is Wolf which, from what I understand, should be perfectly fine for the AK (what isn't?). Thanks for the help!

We got a pretty dangerous situation. And I REALLY don't understand why people load and cycle guns in the house (if that's what you did) to see if "everything works". Go to the range to see if it works. Or get some snap caps.

I'd say to take it to the range and shoot it but what if you blew up your gun because the cartridge was stuck so bad? But then again, pounding on the charging handle may be equally dangerous.

hankdatank1362

October 21, 2008, 11:19 PM

This happened to me with my WASR. I can't seem to recall what the problem was... I want to say that the trigger housing pin had come loose and was blocking rearward travel of the bolt. (I had lots of issues with the trigger pin.)

Take it to a gunsmith. Make SURE he knows it's hot. Hope he doesn't charge you extra for the aggrivation.

Of course, it might not hurt to remove the receiver cover and look and see if you spot anything out of the ordainary. Maybe you can even remove the spring/bolt/op rod assembly. See if the round is actually stuck in the chamber or if it was just the bolt holding it shut.

Or, there is always placing the butt on the ground, holding the muzzle away from you at a slight angle, and stomping your boot down on the charging handle. I don't recommend that unless it's a life-or-death situation.

Bartkowski

October 21, 2008, 11:19 PM

You could put a block of wood on the charging handle and then hit the wood with a hammer. A light tap will/should get it to move. You could try to take it apart, but you still have a stuck cartridge in the chamber...make sure you clean the gun once you solve the problem. Get all the grease off and clean any dirt off the gun.

ETA: We got a pretty dangerous situation. And I REALLY don't understand why people load and cycle guns in the house (if that's what you did) to see if "everything works". Go to the range to see if it works. Or get some snap caps.

I'd say to take it to the range and shoot it but what if you blew up your gun because the cartridge was stuck so bad? But then again, pounding on the charging handle may be equally dangerous.

What? Why would it blow up from being stuck? Why is it dangerous to have a loaded gun? Do not take the gun to the range and shoot it. If the round isn't chambered fully and still fires then you might have a problem. I have had this happen before, just use the method I described above and clean the gun, especially the chamber.

chris in va

October 21, 2008, 11:33 PM

Pretty common, whack the bolt handle it with a mallet. Keep your important parts away from the muzzle.

nalioth

October 21, 2008, 11:49 PM

or, there is always placing the butt on the ground, holding the muzzle away from you at a slight angle, and stomping your boot down on the charging handle.

STOP! DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS!!.

You may blow your brains all over the ceiling or sky.

Hankdatank, what are you thinking?

northwestneighbor

October 21, 2008, 11:58 PM

to the rescue!

ENENEN

October 22, 2008, 12:19 AM

I set the rifle down on the ground, in the basement, facing he brick wall. Then I put a board on the charging handle and gave it a couple whacks with a hammer. Freed it right up. God the round out (which was covered in cosmoline), field stripped the rifle, and cleaned everything. Reassembled, and tried again. The round almost hit me in the face when it shot out of the ejector.

I'm an idiot for not cleaning it first. Lesson learned. Seems to be working fine now.

EDIT: and as a side note, this seems to be a pretty good WASR. Since it's he newer one, it has the tapco trigger (which I didn't find out about until after I bought it), almost no magazine wobble with a full magazine, and what looks to be a very straight gas tube and front sight. I did cost me about $450 after tax, with 3 magazines, a bayonet, sling, pouch and cleaning kit. Kinda pricey for a WASR I think, but it seems to be the going rate these days.

maddog1775

October 22, 2008, 04:22 PM

This is a perfect example of why you should get snap caps for every caliber you shoot. Testing the action with live rounds is just not a good idea, especially with a rifle you have never used before.

rcmodel

October 22, 2008, 05:33 PM

I set the rifle down on the ground, in the basement, facing he brick wall.
A 7.62x39 round against the basement brick wall is probably not the best set of circumstances either!

If it had of fired, you would likely be hurting from all the shrapnel & bounce-back hitting you!

rcmodel

BlacklabelOP

October 22, 2008, 06:39 PM

This happened to me as well.. the pin holding the trigger in place came loose and got moved and stuck when I racked the charging handle.

Get a rigger retaining plate and take the darn thing apart.. It isn't hard to take the cover off and see what is really going on.

Mike U.

October 23, 2008, 12:00 AM

I'm very glad this issue was resolved with relative ease.

Congratulations on your purchase!

I also have a WASR 10/63 and I am very pleased that I bought it. It has been uber-reliable and plenty accurate out to 100 yards. Put a gallon milk jug on the berm behind 100 yard line and I can shoot it till I get bored or there are just pieces of the jug left. She's a very good rifle for being "the bottom of the barrel of AK's". Not a tack driver, but, gets the job done.

longdayjake

October 23, 2008, 01:21 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by hankdatank1362
or, there is always placing the butt on the ground, holding the muzzle away from you at a slight angle, and stomping your boot down on the charging handle.

STOP! DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS!!.

You may blow your brains all over the ceiling or sky.

Hankdatank, what are you thinking?

I just got a funny image in my head. Or maybe not so funny, but it would make a pretty good Youtube fake.

chris in va

October 23, 2008, 02:27 AM

The Russians would've done that in the field. We're just wimps over here.

Rubber_Duck

October 23, 2008, 02:37 AM

Just shoot it. :)

pinstripe

October 23, 2008, 03:48 AM

I wouldn't trust the damn thing:what:. Just send it to me and I will make sure to dispose of it properly.

Are you sure that you chambered the correct round? If so, then I would just shot it at the range. Then if it doesn't completely blow smooth up.....on second thought, just sent it to me and I will take care of this dangerous weapon:D

7mmsavage

October 23, 2008, 06:31 AM

This is a great example of why we should inspect and clean a new rifle before anything else. Since there was enough cosmoline in the chamber to keep the round from extracting, couldn't there have easily been enough in the barrel to cause an obstruction? I'm pretty suprised that some folks suggested just shooting a rifle that obviously has something wrong with it. And put the butt on the ground and stomp on the charging handle? Why not look down the barrel while your at it? I'm glad this turned out OK, but there are some important lessons to be learned here.

hankdatank1362

October 27, 2008, 11:41 PM

STOP! DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS!!.

You may blow your brains all over the ceiling or sky.

Hankdatank, what are you thinking?

And put the butt on the ground and stomp on the charging handle? Why not look down the barrel while your at it?

You seem to have missed the part where I mentioned that:

I don't recommend that unless it's a life-or-death situation.

As in, someone is shooting at you, and you have no rubber mallet or wooden block. Obviously, that is not the case here.

At least I thought it was obvious.

The Russians would've done that in the field.
I know it's funny, but that's the truth. That's what they were, and maybe still are, taught to do. Once again, in LIFE AND DEATH SITUATIONS.

lloydkristmas

October 28, 2008, 03:28 AM

This happened with one of mine also. I keep a 2 dollar rubber mallet in my box of gun stuff in case it ever happens again. Just smack that charging handle and it will come right out. Of course, the ONE time my AK ever jammed like this was right after I was telling the guys how reliable it is. Go figure.